Literally what I am eating for dinner as we speak. Or as I sit here typing. Regardless, I am thoroughly enjoying the fresh and Spring-like flavors this dish brings to the table. And also the shape of the campenelle pasta. I’m not someone who really knows what each pasta shape is or what it’s unique purpose is in the universe, but these small bugle-like spirals with ruffled edges look really festive and inviting to eat.

Enough about the pasta – let’s talk about the pesto. The recipe I used was all from my head, but also loosely based off of something I read in Food Network magazine (don’t worry I was waiting on line at CVS, I don’t subscribe). The addition of sautéed mushrooms gives the dish some warmth and flavor, and the cherry tomatoes just make this plate taste FRE$H. Also instead of ricotta I used cottage cheese because that’s what I had. Sue me.

Pesto

Ingredients:

2 – 2.5 cups arugula

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/3-1/2 cup parmesan or Italian blend cheese

Directions:

Just put it all in a blender until it reaches a nice, smooth consistency.

Pasta

Ingredients:

1 box campenelle pasta

15-20 ripe cherry tomatoes

1.5 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced

5 tablespoons ricotta cheese (more or less to taste)

Extra arugula, pine nuts, or parmesan to top

Directions:

Cook pasta as directed. Let cool slightly, then mix in pesto sauce.

In a saucepan, sauté mushrooms with 1 teaspoon olive oil for 4-5 minutes until soft.

Add mushrooms into pasta, along with halved cherry tomatoes and the ricotta. Toss together well. Add fresh arugula, pine nuts and extra parmesan to taste.

Like this:

I don’t know what you dream about in the summer, but for the past few weeks the only thing on my mind has been the sweetness and re-freshing-ness of summer fruit.

Blueberries, cherries, apricots, even vegetables like corn and tomatoes…it’s making me dizzy thinking about them. And the peaches. I mean, the difference between a mediocre peach and the sweetest, juiciest, best peach you’ve ever had? Unquantifiable.

I just mixed up some butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, coconut and slivered almonds to sprinkle on top of the BEST peaches and baked them until the streusel was crunchy and the peaches were tender. Perfect summer dessert for me and my bro.

Recipe here – you can make the cobbler in the peach, but I chose to use ramekins so I could have bite-sized chunks of peach with every mouthful!

In fact, my true belief is that there is never a wrong time for cinnamon rolls, which may just be one of the best comfort foods around, and pumpkin and butterscotch just add delicious flavors to a classic treat.

You fold pumpkin into the virtually unsweetened dough, and then do wonderful things with butterscotch chips, cream cheese, more pumpkin and vanilla for a sweet but nuanced glaze.

Put ’em in a blender. If you’re just lucky enough that your roommate has a sweet Vitamix, use that. Meanwhile, the rest of us plebeians will make do with our crummy machines. Just kidding. Julie, your Vitamix rox.

Plus it’s super green and full of broccoli!! Double broccoli, in fact. How double, you may ask? I shall tell you.Okay so here’s what you need:

1.5 cups quinoa

1 large head of broccoli, cut and steamed

1/2-1 cup spinach

Olive oil

Parmesan cheese

Garlic

And here’s what you do:

Cook quinoa in either water or vegetable broth according to directions.

Take one half of the steamed broccoli and put it in a blender! Then add the spinach, oil, parmesan and garlic, to take. Blend that baby up and boom! Super easy, fast, and delicious broccoli-spinach pesto! Mix pesto into the quinoa. Add the other half of the steamed broccoli. Garnish with more parmesan if desired. Cheers to a healthy and delicious lunch or dinner!

Like this:

What if I promised you that these were actually awesome? Would you believe me? Come on, give me a break here, I know my pictures aren’t awesome, but I’m going to tell you that it is very difficult to take a good picture of a scone. It just is.

It’s not hard to make a good scone though. And these are good. Especially if you’re like me and looooove grapefruit!

The best part about this recipe is twofold: one, the whole chunks of fresh but caramelized grapefruit, and two, the grapefruit zest-infused sugar incorporated into the dough and also crystallized on top, shown above. Perfection.Plus they have honey and yogurt. Check out the recipe here. Great for summer brunch.

Turkey’s premier traditional egg-dish, coming right up! I promise whatever you are thinking about this pan of mush is actually awesome. Trust me. The most simple breakfast to make and so nutritious!

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 tomato, cubed

1 light green bell pepper, cut into chucks

1 teaspoon olive oil

Parmesan or any cheese (optional)

Mushrooms (optional)

Directions:

Cook peppers in pan with oil until soft. Add tomatoes as well, and mushrooms if desired.

When vegetables are soft, crack both eggs directly into the pan (or in a bowl first to avoid shells). Immediately combine mixture, making sure the egg is spread evenly among the peppers and tomatoes. Cook for no more than 2 minutes, leaving some moisture in the dish.